DR. FALKIRK VISITS RIVERLAWN
Levi Bedford, in spite of his threats to hang his prisoner, was a
kind-hearted man, and he did what he could for the comfort of Buck
Lagger. He had often been called upon to prescribe for the sick or
injured among the hands on the plantation. He examined the wound of the
ruffian; but it was beyond his skill, and he did not attempt to treat
the patient.
During the absence of the expedition for the defence of Lyndhall he had
done what he could for those who had been wounded on the creek road; but
he was not an expert in the treatment of gunshot wounds. There was
little he could do for them; and early in the morning he had sent Frank
to procure the attendance of Dr. Falkirk, who resided near the village.
He had been called to a case on a plantation several miles from
Barcreek. He had not returned when Levi went to his bed.
Major Lyon and the boys had taken to their beds as soon as the guests
departed, and the overseer was in condition to follow their example. The
premises were well guarded along the creek, and two men with
breech-loaders in their hands were in charge of the wounded prisoner. In
the mansion Mrs. Lyon and her daughters, who had been up most of the
night, for they could not sleep while the major and his sons were in
danger, had gone to bed to obtain needed rest.
Even the hands who had been on service the whole or a part of the
eventful night were asleep, and the guard at Fort Bedford had been
relieved. Levi slept soundly on the bed he had taken within the works,
in spite of the groans mingled with curses of the wounded ruffian. There
was no white person awake on the plantation to wonder what was to be the
outcome of the events of the night. Doubtless Colonel Cosgrove and
Squire Truman were also sleeping off the fatigues of the night. The
aggressive ruffians had fled to their several homes, defeated,
exhausted, and disgusted with the result of their labors in the cause of
Secession. There was a calm after the storm.
Dr. Falkirk appeared about the middle of the forenoon. He was of Scotch
descent; but his father had settled in New Orleans, and the son became
as violent a "fire-eater" as though he had been the possessor of half a
thousand slaves. He had made a fortune in the practice of his
profession, and had purchased a plantation in Kentucky, on the outskirts
of Barcreek, where he intended to end his days in peace and quiet. But
some of his investments had been unfortunate, and he had been compelled
to resume practice.
His skill as a physician and surgeon had brought to him an abundant
practice, though his patients were widely scattered, and he was obliged
to pass much of his time in his gig. When the troubles of the nation
began, he developed into a Secessionist of the most ultra stripe. He was
a highly educated man and a fluent speaker in public and private. In the
Lyceum of the village he and Squire Truman were often pitted against
each other, and one was quite as outspoken as the other.
But Dr. Falkirk was faithful to his patients, poor or rich, and without
regard to their creed or politics. Though his fortune had been impaired,
he was still in comfortable circumstances, and never refused to visit
any sick person to whom he was called, with no regard to color or the
expectation of payment for his services. In fact, he was the beau-ideal
of a good physician, and held the honor of his profession above every
other consideration.
The men on patrol at the bridge conducted the doctor to the fort as soon
as he appeared, in obedience to the orders of the overseer. When he
reached Fort Bedford he manifested no little astonishment at the
appearance of the old ice-house, with its four embrasures, through which
the twelve-pounders could be seen. The negroes with breech-loaders in
their hands were a disgusting exhibition to him, and he turned up his
nose, though he made no remark.
The sentinel at the door politely ushered him into the presence of his
patient. Without asking any questions in regard to the manner in which
the sufferer had received his wound, Dr. Falkirk proceeded to examine
him. Buck Lagger was still in great pain, and had kept up a continual
groaning all the forenoon. The doctor immediately gave him a couple of
little pills, intended to ease the pain. The skilful surgeon discovered
that a bullet was embedded in the shoulder, and he took from the handbag
the instruments for its extraction.
Then he called upon a couple of the guards to assist him. There were but
two sentinels in charge of the fort, who were faithfully marching up and
down outside the door. But they paid no attention to the call of the
doctor. Each of them seemed to be impressed with the idea that the
protection of the plantation and the lives of all the family depended
upon him, and that it would be treason for them to leave their posts.
"Can't you hear me, you black rascals?" demanded the surgeon in a loud
tone. "Come here, one of you!"
"Can't leabe de post, Mars'r Doctor," replied one of the men.
Probably there was no enemy within a mile of the fort; but they had been
told that they were not to leave their places for anything, and they
were disposed literally to obey their orders. But the angry tones of the
surgeon had awakened Levi Bedford, who was sleeping at one end of the
fort. He sprang to his feet, and discovered the doctor at the couch of
his patient.
"Good-morning, Doctor Falkirk," said he. "I did not know you were here."
"I knew I was here, and I ordered those black scoundrels to assist me,
and they refused to do so," replied the doctor angrily.
"They only obey their orders, but they rather overdo it. I will assist
you, Doctor," added Levi.
"Orders!" exclaimed the professional gentleman contemptuously. "One
would think this was a regular garrison."
"That is about what it is," replied the overseer.
"Humbug!" said the surgeon, as he turned to his patient.
Levi called in one of the sentinels, and the bed of the wounded man was
drawn out before the door where the light was best, and the doctor
proceeded with his work. The morphine pills he had given the patient
appeared to have relieved his pain. The operator probed for the ball,
and soon found it. Then he dressed the wound with as much care as though
the sufferer had been a Kentucky colonel. He had hardly completed his
office before Buck dropped asleep under the influence of the powerful
medicine he had taken. The bed was moved back without waking him, and
Dr. Falkirk passed out of the fort, followed by the overseer.
"Keep the man quiet for a week, and give him anything he wants to eat,"
said he, as he looked about him at the warlike preparations which had
been finished the day before.
"We have three more wounded men in the hospital who need a surgeon,"
added Levi.
"What are those niggers doing over on the other side of the creek?"
asked the surgeon, whose gaze had wandered to the grove at the side of
the road. Some of the hands had been directed to bury the man who had
fallen behind the tree where he had taken refuge from the shots of the
defenders of the plantation.
He had been seen in the act of levelling his gun at the advancing
column, and Levi had brought him down before he could discharge his
weapon.
"They are burying a man that fell in the skirmish last night," Levi
replied to the question of the doctor.
"What skirmish?" inquired Dr. Falkirk, with evident astonishment.
"You don't appear to have heard the news, Doctor," replied the overseer.
"What news? I was called to General Longman's plantation last evening; I
spent the night there, and did not get home till half-past eight this
morning."
As briefly as possible Levi gave the details of the events of the
preceding night, beginning with the meeting at Big Bend, and ending with
the final defeat and surrender of the ruffians.
"An Abolition row!" said the doctor contemptuously.
"Not exactly, Dr. Falkirk; it was a Secession row!" added Levi with
energy.
"Brought about by the insane wrangling of the traitors to the State of
Kentucky!" snapped the surgeon.
"The traitors to the State of Kentucky are loyal to the government of
the United States and the Union," protested the overseer.
"There is no longer any United States, and the Union has ceased to
exist! The men who are making all this trouble in Kentucky are those who
are trying to make war upon the Southern Confederacy, to subdue and
enslave a dozen sovereign States!" argued the doctor, almost furiously.
"I reckon it's no use for you and me to argue this question, for we
don't live in the same world on that subject," said the overseer, with a
smile on his round face. "But Kentucky is for the Union by a large
majority, and what you call sovereign States are in rebellion against
the lawful authorities of the nation, and the insurrection will be put
down just as sure as fate."
"This used to be a free country, though it isn't so now; but every man
can have his own opinion as long as he is willing to be responsible for
it."
"It isn't exactly a free country as long as the loyal citizens of this
county cannot hold a meeting without being attacked by the ruffians of
Secession, as was the case at Big Bend last night. Then the same
villains came over here in a mob of a hundred to burn Major Lyon's
house, and capture his daughters, as they tried to do with Colonel
Belthorpe's girls. They did not succeed, and some of them were shot down
in the attempt. The right to commit such outrages as these is what you
call free; but we at Riverlawn don't understand it in just that way."
"But, according to your own statement, Mr. Bedford, your people had
stolen the arms intended for the company of the Home Guards whom Captain
Titus Lyon has enlisted," returned the doctor.
"We took possession of the arms and ammunition, including the two guns
at those embrasures, to prevent these ruffians from using them against
the loyal citizens of the county in carrying out their ideas of
freedom," said Levi stoutly. "Do you believe these ruffians, the
offscourings of the county, ought to be permitted to burn, ravage, and
destroy the homes of some of the most respectable people in this
vicinity, Dr. Falkirk?"
"But your people were the aggressors, and I think they were justified in
trying to recover the property that had been stolen from them."
"The ruffians issued their threats to burn the mansion of Major Lyon
before the arms entered into the question."
The discussion might have continued all day, if Sam, Colonel Belthorpe's
house servant, had not ridden up at this moment.
"I come for the doctor, sar," said the man.
"Who is sick at Lyndhall, Sam?" asked Levi with much interest.
"Nobody sick, Mars'r Bedford; but Mars'r Tilford's very bad with his
wound, and Mars'r Cunnel send me for the doctor," replied the servant.
"Is this another of your victims, Mr. Bedford?" asked the doctor with a
heavy sneer.
"It is Colonel Belthorpe's overseer. He refused to assist in protecting
the family from the ruffians, and left the mansion. It seems that he was
shot in attempting to join your army, doctor."
"He's a brave fellow! I will go and see him."
"But he deserted your army of ruffians, and crawled back to the house,
where the girls nursed him and cared for him. Now the colonel sends for
you to patch him up, the ingrate!"
"True to his principles against his employer!"
The doctor was conducted to the hospital, where he did his duty
faithfully to those who had been wounded, though Levi reminded him that
they belonged to "his army." None of them were in a bad way, and the
surgeon said they would be all right in a few days.
All was quiet again at Riverlawn, and the sleepers used most of the day
in their beds. On the following morning, after the whole evening had
been used in discussing the events of the preceding night, everything
went along as usual on the plantation. No more ruffians appeared on the
other side of the creek, though Major Lyon and the boys remained on duty
at the fort.
"What is to be the end of all these disturbances, Noah?" asked Mrs.
Lyon, as the family seated themselves at the breakfast-table the second
morning after the battle, as they had come to call the events of that
stormy night.
"I think we all understand what is before us. We are to have war, and I
don't believe it will end in a hundred days, as the statesman at
Washington says," replied Major Lyon; and even some of his family had
learned to apply this title to him. "Within a few days we shall begin to
form a company of cavalry. I am still of military age, and the boys are
old enough to take part in the struggle before us. But Levi will remain
on the plantation; and as the hands have proved that they can stand up
under fire, he will have the means of protecting you, Ruth."
"Of course we shall be sorry to have you go, but I agree with you, Noah,
that your country has a claim upon you which you cannot shirk," replied
Mrs. Lyon, struggling to repress a tear.
"Buck Lagger asked me this morning if I thought he was well enough to be
hung," said Levi, perhaps to break off the conversation in that line.
"Do you think of hanging him, Levi?" inquired the planter.
"That is what I promised him; but I leave that matter to you, Major
Lyon. He is a murderer at heart, and the bullet from his gun passed
within two inches of the top of my head."
"I should not like to have him hung at Riverlawn," added the planter. "I
will talk with him, and see what can be done; but there is no law in
this part of the country just now."
The family were to dine that day at Lyndhall at one o'clock, so that
none of them need be absent after dark. Major Lyon left the house, and
was directing his steps towards Fort Bedford for an interview, when he
saw Captain Titus Lyon driving over the bridge. He did not care to meet
him, but he could hardly avoid doing so, and he stopped in front of the
flower-garden. Titus fastened his horse to a post, and approached his
brother.